Ontario Trans-Canada Highway #17 between Ignace and Thunder Bay

Why travel between between Ignace and Thunder Bay?

Near Thunder Bay, this route passes the important fur trading for of Fort William, and the stunning Kakabeka Falls. As you move along the highway, you not only cross from Eastern to Central Time Zones, but the rivers (and you cross many of them) shift from flowing into the Great Lakes and the Atlantic to flowing up to Hudson's Bay. You see stunning wilderness vistas, and drive through some very impressive rock cuts.

Here is the itinerary for the 247 km along #17 between Ignace and Thunder Bay:

Ignace was founded in 1879 and was a key water route to Lake of the Woods for early settlers. When the CPR was built through northern Ontario, it became a divisional point for taking on water and coal. Today is a jumping off point for prospectors and miners.

This area is traversed by waterways, which were much more convenient for travel and transportation by First Nations and early explorers, than cutting through the dense forests. The English River starts its westward path to the Winnipeg River into Hudson's Bay, and was a major fur trading route into the area. Today, the river generates significant amounts of hydro power. Towns like Upsala are key points for visitors to get to the many fly-in fishing resorts in the area.

Early fur traders used a portage at Savanne Portage to connect east to Lac du Mielieu (near Raith) to the Kaministkwia River to complete a fur trading route between Lake of the Woods and Lake Superior, at Thunder Bay. Raith marks another Continental Divide, with points to the north and west flowing into Hudson's Bay, and points to the southeast flowing to the Great Lakes and the Atlantic.

The highway passes Kakabeka Falls, where the Kaministikwia River plunges 40 metres into a gorge. Kakabeka is Ojibwa for "thundering waters". According to legend, an invading party of Sioux Indians captured the daughter of the local Ojibwa chief who escaped by jumping over the falls, and warning her tribe to successfully fight off the Sioux..

The soils from here to Thunder Bay are flat and have rich sandy soils, well suited to potato farming, as well as for forage crops fed to cattle, sheep and pigs. Before you reach the Thunder Bay Expressway, which bypasses the on a high hill overlooking Lake Superior, you will pass close to the original fur trading for, Fort William. It was established by the Montreal-based North West Company in 1789, and became a Hudson's Bay company fort after the firms amalgamated in 1821.

Today, Thunder Bays is a key shipping point for prairie wheat, as indicated by the many grain elevators seen along the waterfront.

Kakabeka Falls viewpoint, 0.6 km east of bridge over Kaministoquaia River (or just W of town)..Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, camping, hiking, watersports, open year-round. Park includes the river from the townsite upstream to the power dam...

Kakabeka Falls Generating Station, south of town, with intake dam, at N end of Provincial Park...

Note to Businesses, and their Web Marketers

Trave/tourism businesses registered in FoundLocally site's Free Directory are included on TransCanadaHighway.com.
Post a description, link, logo, as well as your news, events, savings (coupons, sales, discounts), and jobs. And yes, all FOR FREE (no catch!).
See industry-specific web marketing tips at Marketing.FoundLocally.com for